The excuse for an embarrassing lapse in recent blogging is our happily overwhelming work load. Further distraction has been the selling and buying of our homes and most recently the lease of a seriously cute new studio in Lilyfield (already painted yellow, a good sign).

That said, I’ve managed to squeeze in a little adventuring over the bridge to unearth the gems of my new stomping ground, the northern Northern Beaches.

Broken into suburbs, heading north…

Mona Vale is my preference when food shopping with no budget in mind. With, some would argue, ’Northern Beaches best coffee’ in hand (2kf), I do Bungan Street, buying chic cheese (Morgans), fabulous fruit (Ripe Grocer) and posh meat (Penny’s). Then for absolutely no reason,
I finish at Little Paper Lane quite simply because I love anything paper related and this little shopfront is a celebration of nothing but.

Avalon is my favourite suburb in Sydney, and my intended future home when I no longer care about The Bridge’s happening other side. Reason being, the organic cafe fare, lovely little shops, beautifully backwards cinema and general laid back’ness. I can’t go past The Healthy Chef and am always prepared wait for table to devour food that quite simply tastes too good to be healthy. As this buzzy cafe is as good for you as the name suggests, I feel guilt free visiting La Banette for pastries that rival those I enjoyed in Paris. In fact, I remember one Christmas standing in line
for rationed French Sticks, one per customer, then back to the end of the queue for another.

Newport is coming into it’s own and is a far cry from the quiet little suburb I remember in my youth. After polishing off ‘Roadkill’, my parents pet name for the seriously tasty Spatchcock at Lucky’s & Pep’s, I like to go next door to Mark Tuckey to fantasise about owning a house cool enough to house one of his custom, recycled timber Day Beds. His Homewares store can be found tucked down an alleyway in Avalon and I’ve already mentally purchased colourful, mismatched bed linens for my future home.

Lee Matthews is nestled along the Newport strip, housing breezy fabrics, effortless silhouettes, delicate embellishment and endlessly inspired store styling.

Lastly, ‘Palmy’ or Palm Beach certainly needs no introduction. It is difficult to unearth much in this beloved suburb but I cannot not mention The Boathouse and my pilgrimages there for a bucket of fresh tiger prawns, beer battered flathead and chips, washed down with anything crisp and cold. Positioned right on Pittwater, jetty attached, is is no wonder this institution doubles as a wedding venue for the lucky few. One can pass the time contemplating purchasing deli goods, seasonal fruit, potted succulents and fresh floral blooms while waiting for a table.

Equally pretty and on-par food wise is The Boathouse’s sister cafe The Armchair Collective on Mona Vale Beach.

There are several boutiques in Palmy but perhaps the most eclectic is Love Loans + Linen, offering ‘simply, meaningful design for home, events and everyday’. Zed & Bee has carefully selected props for previous shoots at this hole in the wall shopfront.

Image Credits. Images of The Boathouse and Lee Matthews by Katie Quinn Davies.